Learning to Love
by Rue Nightrose
Summary: A mission with an unexpected ending forever changes Sakura's life. With his life mission finally complete, what will Sasuke do? Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Please note that this is rated M for a reason. There are graphic details ahead. Also, there is a minor flashback - I didn't do italics or a linebreak because it feels too interrupted. Enjoy!

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The tower was quiet. Sakura had tracked her target here three days ago. She had been sent to gather intelligence and then report back with all of her findings. The heavy silence called to her though.

Leaping soundlessly from branch to branch, Sakura employed every skill she had ever learned to keep from being detected by her target. The ANBU kunoichi had been hand-picked for this S-ranked mission. Her target darted soundlessly below, skimming the forest floor with utter silence and grace. It was clear his destination was the dark tower ahead. It jutted into the sky, looming with a sinister shadow. It was difficult for Sakura to resist trying to eliminate or capture her target, but orders were orders. Especially when they came from the Hokage. She was merely to track, observe and then report back.

Her target was moving at full speed towards the immense building. He was a blur of movement, yet she followed him determinedly. He didn't even hesitate when reaching the jagged cliff edge; he merely dropped off of it. Sakura had to stop at the edge of the drop-off, remaining hidden by the cover of the forest.

Her sharp green eyes scanned the clearing below. She watched with gritted teeth as her target landed on his feet, only a soft thud to mark his passage. Not pausing at all, he began sprinting towards the eerie tower.

'There is no way I could follow him below. The land is stripped bare of anything that could cover me.'

Feeling thwarted, Sakura retreated back into the shadows of the leaves. The clearing below her was completely barren, devoid of any life. Absolutely nothing grew in the large area encompassing the tower. The ground was ravaged, completely torn apart, even blown into giant holes in some places. From her vantage point, Sakura could discern paper bombs and other deadly traps. Yet her target navigated the land with complete ease. He seemed to know the layout perfectly - jumping, flipping and stepping over all of the traps. Sakura watched as the man flicked his dark bangs out of his face in a familiar impatient movement and stood at the entrance. The doors were nearly twice his height and at least five times wider. It didn't matter. With a shove, Sasuke stepped into the darkness of the tower, closing the door behind him.

That had been three days ago. In the time since, Sakura had scouted the perimeter of the tower, making sure nobody would drop in and surprise her. Always on alert, Sakura had slept in light cat-naps, never taking her eyes or ears off of the tower. After all, ever since witnessing Sasuke enter the tower, the air had been filled with all sort of sounds. Sounds that normally came from a battlefield.

For three straight days and two nights, blood-curdling screams of the dying had ripped through the air. Howls of the wounded had driven any game far deeper into the forest; pleas of those about to be cut-down were barely muffled by the structure's walls. Even the sound of some of the internal structure collapsing had mixed in with all of the explosions and shrieks. The cacophony of noises had assaulted her ears constantly, never letting up. At certain points, Sakura could have sworn the ground was shaking with the force of whatever blows were being dealt.

This third night, a heavy silence had fallen over the tower. It called to her, beckoning to figure out just what had gone on within the menacing tower. Sakura made the decision.

'My duty is to report, with as many details as possible. All I know is that Sasuke went inside, and a battle may or may not have raged on for three days and two nights without pause. I need more information. I need to get in there.'

There would be only one way, one chance to do this. In a blast, Sakura shot off from her position. She moved to the original point where she had witnessed Sasuke dropping off of the cliff. Without any hesitation, Sakura did the same, stepping off of the edge and into nothingness. The air whipped past her, blowing her ponytail of pink locks straight behind her with its force. Sakura focused a perfect balance of chakra into both of her feet and landed in a crouch. Straightening, Sakura smiled grimly to herself. Now just to get across the destroyed turf that lay in front of the jade-eyed operative without being blown to pieces.

'Should be simple.' The ANBU kunoichi thought to herself. Sakura had long been hailed as a genius, possessing an extraordinary intelligence that only the strategist Shikamaru could rival. Recalling Sasuke's intricate pattern of movements took no more than a second. Determined, she moved her body with exact precision, calculating the distance and movements with uncanny skill. Every movement matched Sasuke's perfectly.

'Even Kakashi couldn't have done a better job.' Sakura thought confidently as she landed before the huge solid doors. There was no sign of a lock or any other security system. The door had remained unused in her time watching, Sasuke being its last entrant. Sakura's eyes scanned the frame and archway, making sure there were no other surprises. It looked solid as the doors, with no telltale signs of hidden traps.

The pink-haired shinobi held out her gloved hand and placed it on the rough surface of the door. It opened easily, swinging in a wide arc away from her. Sakura's slim eyebrows drew together, suspicion rising inside of her. This seemed almost too easy, and she didn't want to walk into a trap. Taking a quick look within, she realized it wouldn't matter. Aside from a small scattering of low-burning candles, the entrance room was all shadows. She would be at a disadvantage no matter what she did.

Deciding to continue on despite this, Sakura began searching the entrance room. She had long since sensed that it was deserted. And yet.. Sakura knelt, skimming her bare fingertips over the wet ground. She lifted her hand and sniffed the substance before flicking her tongue out to taste it. Blood. So her previous assumption had been correct - a battle had been waged here. Sakura's guard raised, making her already keen senses sharpen in response.

More aware than ever, the graceful kunoichi stood. There was blood pooled in congealed masses all over the floor of the large room. The walls were spattered with it, and Sakura could even make out patterns of blood spray on the ceiling. Moving soundlessly, Sakura explored the expansive room. Her analytical mind began sorting out what had occurred.

The ceiling and staircase had partly collapsed, and the walls were indented in certain places. The furrows in the wall looked suspiciously as if they were caused by bodies being tossed casually into them. There was further evidence to support just that. Torn bodies were strewn across the floor like rag dolls. Her heart hardened at the sight of them. Just to be thorough, Sakura carefully inspected every single face she came across. All of them were wanted criminals, but she wondered what could cause such a mass casualty.

Sakura moved up the staircase, leaping to cover the distance where it had caved in and left a gaping hole. Floor after floor, room after room, the devastation remained the same. The only that changed were the faces of the bodies and the manner in which they were killed. It also seemed that the further she moved up the tower, the more destructive the battles were.

Sakura's knowledgeable mind coupled with her many years of experience on the battlefield made her able to discern the certain techniques that had been used. One in particular stood out to her. The telltale signs of the chidori were on the ruined walls, floors, and even on the ceiling. Sasuke had been a part of this, but on what side? More importantly, what state would she find him in?

As she reached higher floors, the bodies on the floor began to stand out more. The dead near the top floor were higher classes of criminals, such as renegade shinobi. Some were even members of the Akatsuki.

Holding her breath, Sakura reached the top floor. She let it out softly, flexing her gloved hands in readiness. There was only one more room to search. This was it.

The door had been ripped off of its hinges and lay in broken pieces. She stepped in, instantly aware that she wasn't the only alive one in here. A strange odor bombarded her senses at the same time. It took a long moment for Sakura to recognize it - charred flesh, singed hair, and decay. The source of it seemed to be splattered human insides all over the wall and floor.

"Have you come to take me, Sakura?" A rough voice asked, vocal chords sounding harsh with disuse. Sakura's eyes narrowed, distaste twisting her expression. Sasuke was kneeling on the floor across the room, his head bowed limply. His white shirt was torn into nothing more than rags that did little to cover his emaciated body. He made no movement toward her, or to get away. In fact, he was almost unnaturally still.

'Yet not a single hair on his head is out of place.' Sakura thought scathingly. She wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of safety around this man, nor would she be goaded into verbal wars. Taking slow steps to the side, Sakura divided her attention - the majority of it on Sasuke and monitoring any change in his breathing that could indicate attack. The rest focused on what else was in the room.

A single body lay on the wooden floor. A large gaping hole in the chest immediately gave away the manner of death. Sakura moved closer for a better look, casting a wary eye at Sasuke's form. He remained motionless. Tracing a finger over the killing blow, Sakura noticed something. His heart was missing, as were his lungs. Frowning slightly, she looked at the mass of organs piled near the door. Sure enough, the remains of a shredded heart and lungs were just visible. Why such viciousness with this one?

A glance to at the face revealed the answer to her question. It was Itachi Uchiha. At least, the remnants of him. Not only were most of his internal organs missing, the older Uchiha's eyes had been gouged out. Sakura looked to Sasuke, noticing for the first time his hands covered in dried, flaky blood. She scanned the room until she found them. Two miniscule piles of ash lay charred in front of the bowed renegade. She understood the reason for it - now nobody could learn the secrets of the sharingan through Itachi's death.

"So you've finally managed to avenge your family. Your duty as an avenger is complete." Sakura said, turning to Sasuke. She walked slowly towards him, wariness thrumming throughout her. Now that Itachi was dead, there was no telling what Sasuke would do. He had always been a wild card, but killing Itachi and avenging his family directed him completely. It looked as if most of the Akatsuki was slain as well, and Orochimaru had been killed long before this. "What ever will you do now?" She asked, standing in front of his bowed head.

Sasuke's head raised slowly, until he was looking her full in the face. Blank slate-colored eyes stared into her green ones. His face was devoid of any expression. She had seen rage, anger disdain, arrogance, impatience, and even amusement on his face before. Sakura had never seen him with this emptiness.

To her surprise, Sasuke grabbed his stomach and began howl with laughter. It was an eerie sound, coming from his broken vocal chords. She watched, hesitating to say or do anything. It seemed as if Sasuke wasn't quite right in the head. 'Then again, when was he ever.' Sakura waited patiently for the shrieking man to quiet, wondering if she should just abandon him to his madness. 'That wouldn't do though.. The Hokage would have my head for leaving such a dangerous shinobi loose. I have to bring him back to Konoha. There's no other way.'

He ceased his rough laughter, still holding himself as if he was in danger of falling apart. Eyeing his current state, Sakura wouldn't disagree with that at all. Meeting his eyes, Sakura stated very quietly, "You will be escorted back to the Hidden Leaf Village by me." She waited for some sort of protest, a snarl or retort, even a smirk in reaction. Nothing. His face remained blank, his eyes vacant. Sasuke stood slowly, moving as if every action caused him pain. When he finally finished, he looked down at her and nodded simply.

'Sasuke needs healing, or we'll never reach Konoha with him alive. If I heal him though, how do I know he won't do the same to me that he did to all of these men.' There was nothing to do but trust the one who had betrayed everything.

Sakura put her hands on her hips, and told him matter-of-factly, "You need healing, or you'll die. Likely before we even get past that clearing. I need you to promise me that if I heal you, you will not run. You will not fight me. You will not trap me." She knew that the request was naive, that he could leave or refuse at any time. He most likely would. But it was important to phrase the request, although she couldn't explain why. Silence met her request as jade eyes stared into onyx. Sasuke inclined his head, seemingly in accordance with the terms.

"You should probably lay down." Sakura murmured, already roving her thorough medic eyes over his form. A strange light came into Sasuke's eyes, something that Sakura couldn't recognize. "I bet you've been dreaming about this moment forever." He said harshly, lowering himself painfully to the floor. Sakura ignored the jibe, kneeling next to the injured man. Something inside her hesitated, and the kunoichi paused for a long moment.

"I promise not to bite." Sasuke broke her hesitation with his words. They were uttered with a rough edge of anger and derision. Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Save that energy you have. You're going to need it." She said sensibly.

Summoning her chakra to her skillful hands, Sakura concentrated on the man in front of her. Despite the carnage all around them, Sasuke's injuries weren't nearly as bad as they could have been. There were very few surface wounds, a collapsed lung, three cracked ribs, a torn ligament in his knee, two shattered finger bones, and a blown ear drum. 'He'll probably lose consciousness.' Sakura thought grimly to herself as she began her Mystical Palm Technique. A familiar emerald glow enveloped her hands, held over Sasuke's thin chest.

'I'm going to have to use the slightest excess amount of chakra in order to combat his wasted body. It has to be executed perfectly or he'll go into a coma.' She thought grimly to herself.

Sasuke watched the pink-haired kunoichi through hazy eyes. He had known that she was tailing him on his journey here; he simply didn't want to waste any time or energy taking her out. Itachi was the prize, and in the end Sasuke had made the right decision. Sakura seemed different now. Before, she would have ignored all orders given to her and gotten in his way immediately. The Sakura from seven years ago had never had this confidence, or this pragmatic attitude. In fact, she didn't even seem happy at finally having him caught in her clutches. The thought was relieving.

A strange feeling came from inside, something hovering between the line of pleasant and yet, not. Sasuke could feel the controlled amounts of chakra penetrating his body. The healing process was speeding up his natural one, and as such he could feel things mend within him. It was odd and somewhat painful. As her delicate hands moved closer to his face, Sasuke's vision began to blur more. He blinked a few times, trying to clear it.

Sakura noticed Sasuke's movements while she focused on healing his right ear. Ignoring them, she concentrated the precise amounts of chakra needed. After his hearing was restored, Sakura moved her hands down to his knee. Sure enough at the final surge of chakra, Sasuke passed out. The observant kunoichi watched as his body finally went limp. It was the most relaxed Sakura had ever seen him. She finished the healing, sitting back with a weary sigh.

The ANBU shinobi hadn't even wanted this mission in the first place, but the Hokage had insisted. 'Guess that means he'll have to love this little surprise.' Sakura thought ruefully, rubbing her forehead in exhaustion. 'Now I need to get us out of here. It stinks too badly of death to rest.' Sakura wrinkled her nose. There were just some smells nobody wanted to cozy up to. "No offense." She said out-loud to Itachi's corpse.

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Author's Note: There we have it, first chapter is finally finished. I have an idea of where this story will go, so please tell me what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

The morning air was crisp and silent. Sakura staggered to a thicket of trees, supporting the deadweight of a still unconscious Sasuke. Shortly after she had finished healing him, Sakura had carried his body down the flights of the destroyed tower. Getting through the ruined clearing had been the tricky part. It wasn't the weight of Sasuke's body that held her back, her superhuman strength was more than capable of carrying his limp form. In fact, if it hadn't been for the kunoichi's strength they may still be in the death-trap. The tricky part had been making sure none of his dangling limbs had set off a paper bomb or similar trap. She had gotten them through though, and brought him into the clearing for rest.

The ANBU operative hated to admit it, but she was in dire need of a break. Sakura wasn't exhausted by hauling Sasuke around - it was the lack of sleep over the long spans of night and day that was doing her in. She had shoved the feelings of being drained to the back of her mind, as Sakura knew how much still loomed ahead. She tried not to think of it - the thought of all she still had ahead of her was overwhelming, and she refused to succumb to the pressure. The pink-haired kunoichi had worked diligently over the years to improve her reserves of stamina.

With a small groan, Sakura lowered Sasuke's form to the ground. Even though she had healed him, Sasuke's body remained malnourished. There was no way she could repair that kind of damage - regrowing healthy fats was something even Sakura had no knowledge in. 'He should barely be able to walk, let alone carry on with the speed, endurance and power that he demonstrated. Where is he getting all the vitality from?' Sakura thought grimly to herself.

The pink-haired kunoichi pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Even though her body still had a small amount of stamina left, Sakura did not want to push too hard in the beginning of their journey back. Konoha still lay five days away, and that was if they traveled at full speed with minimum breaks. They would have to rest here. Trouble was, Sakura didn't know if Sasuke had anyone planning to meet up with him. Or even worse, if anyone was heading in the direction of the tower.

'Oh well. I'll have to find a way. It's better to rest now - even if enemies do come, I'll have energy. If we keep on and we're challenged, we'll be done for.' Sakura sighed and carefully began scanning the area around them. She had brought Sasuke to the very same thicket that she had stayed carefully while vigilantly observing the tower. Everything still seemed the same as before. There was nothing around them. Not even any animal life. Normally this would be suspicious, but with everything that had filled the air these past few days, Sakura concluded that wildlife would avoid this area for awhile.

Sakura sat underneath an expansive tree, leaning against the rough bark. She placed her small pack behind her, giving some relief to her aching back. Some tension melted from her small frame as Sakura forced herself to relax with some techniques she had learned from Shizune. Whether she was comfortable with it or not, Sakura would have to lower her guard enough to sleep.

Jade eyes flickered to Sasuke's still form, skimming the dark-haired man's features. It was strange, but in a way he looked as he did nine years ago. No, perhaps not. There were lines around his eyes and large dark circles underneath them. His cheekbones were starkly prominent in thin and hollow cheeks. The rogue ninja's dark hair was long and unkempt, reminding her of the days when he had gotten back from Kakashi's training. Sakura frowned, watching the rise and fall of his chest. She hated that she would be the one to bring him back.

Sasuke had been a constant source of pain and anxiety for not only her, but the entire hidden Leaf Village for nearly nine long years. Sakura almost didn't believe that this was him in front of her. Only a few short years ago, Sakura would have been thrilled to have found him. Her past self would have called it fate. Now though, the kunoichi had disillusioned herself of such foolish nonsense. After four years of hopeless longing, Sakura had come to her senses. What she had felt for Sasuke in the past hadn't been love, couldn't have been. Longing and delusion was what it had been, and it had hardened her heart. What Sakura felt for her former teammate now was more akin to loathing.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her, making the tired kunoichi yawn soundlessly behind a slim hand. She let her head fall back against the tree, feeling some tension drain away. If only Sakura hadn't been sent out on this mission alone, she could have someone watch her back..

* * *

Sharp rocks pressed into his back, arms and legs. He could feel cool shadows stretching over his body, which felt more well rested than it had in a long time. Sasuke lay there with his eyes closed, still and listening. He wondered idly if Sakura had abandoned him, or called reinforcements to handle him. The avenger's eyes opened slowly, staring up into a thick overhang of leaves. So, she had transported them out of the tower.

Sasuke sat up slowly, taking in his surroundings while doing so. Not only were they out of the tower, but they were past the inlaid traps of the entrance-way. She had taken him up the cliff and into the overgrown forest where she first began following him. Yes, Sasuke had known the very moment his former teammate had started tailing him. Not only was her chakra signature one of the most familiar to him, but the new food pills Sasuke had developed increased his senses to incredible levels. Unfortunately, using them as his only source of nourishment and energy for nearly eight weeks straight had resulted in a skeletal like appearance. 'It had been worth it in the end.' Sasuke concluded, stretching his worn limbs.

Sensing movements, Sakura startled awake. Her jade eyes flew open and she was in a fighting stance before fully aware of what was happening. "Jumpy, are we?" Sasuke's hoarse voice invaded her ears, quickly dissipating the cloud of panic.

A scowl immediately contorted her features as Sakura bit back a snarky reply. Years with Kakashi, Naruto, and Ino had helped in holding back comments. Instead, the medic-nin pulled out her pack and began rummaging around its contents. She focused her eyes onto his and asked, "How are you feeling?" Despite the fact that he was Sasuke and a rogue shinobi, he was still her patient.

"Fine." He replied curtly, ignoring her ministrations as she monitored his pulse and heart rate. Sakura moved to listen to his breathing, pausing as she counted his breaths. A frown marred her face. The knowledgeable kunoichi moved away, stowing her medical tools back inside of the pack.

She was surprised that he was letting her get close enough to touch, let alone examine him. Sakura wondered if Sasuke was trying to lull her into a false sense of security. 'Too bad for him, I've long since abandoned my trust for him.' The ANBU operative pulled out a container and tossed it to Sasuke. He caught it, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Food pills. These ones are rich in nutrients for your body - they don't do anything for chakra." Sakura told him, folding her slim arms over her chest. "By the looks of things you've been pushing yourself too hard for too long. These will help you get on track. Normally it's one pill every six hours, but you should take two."

Sasuke eyed the contents of the container before unscrewing the lid. Two small, dark pills slid into his hand when he tipped it upside down. A part of him wanted to ask if she intended to poison him, but Sasuke thought that would seem weak. He slipped the pills into his mouth, chewing slowly. Sakura nodded in satisfaction, taking the container from him.

"Konoha isn't exactly close by, as I'm sure you know." Sakura said, taking a pill out and putting the container away. The pink-haired kunoichi swallowed it easily, never taking her eyes off of Sasuke. "Are there any.. Friends of yours that we may come across?"

Sasuke consumed his pills, crunching them slowly between his teeth. The shrewd shinobi considered his options carefully. He could reveal to Sakura, who he was certain had only been sent to spy, that he was entirely alone. That would leave him weak if she decided to enforce a capture. Or, he could pretend he had allies waiting for him. Sasuke didn't like that option either - deceit wasn't how he wished to start the second chapter of his life. It would be a gamble. Although really, what did he have to lose at this point?

Sakura's eyes narrowed as a familiar smirk settled onto Sasuke's face. She was suspicious of what was going on in that cunning mind of his.

"I'm alone. I've killed off anyone that could have hindered me." Sasuke said, flicking dark bangs away from his onyx eyes. "If we run into anyone, it's not because of my doing."

"I'm so sure." Sakura muttered under her breath, shrugging the pack on. "There's a creek not too far from here. It's pure, we can hydrate there before continuing on."

Sasuke stood, making Sakura much more aware of the height he had on her. She barely reached his shoulder. "Did you burn the bodies?" He asked, looking down on her with unreadable eyes. When they were younger, Sakura used to think it was so mysterious the way he seemed above everything and everyone. Now though, Sakura detested his aloof attitude. It was even worse because she didn't know whether he was an enemy or not.

"No. I was more focused in getting to a safe zone in order for your healing sleep to continue uninterrupted." Sakura nearly growled at him. 'The least he could do is say thanks!' Sakura sighed, rubbing her temple. She knew that they would have to go back, as much as she didn't want to venture back into that death-trap. "We can double back and torch the place, then go to the creek."

"In order to save time, I could go back to do it while you go gather some water." Sasuke suggested, his torn shirt hanging loosely around him. "Fire-style is my specialty."

Sakura pretended to consider the offer as she thought over her options. Clearly this was Sasuke trying to give her the slip, and the pink-haired kunoichi was determined not to let it happen. She couldn't let him out of her sight. "We'll both go. It won't take long."

Sasuke paused, his face still expressionless. "You really intend to bring me in, don't you?" He slanted his eyes to hers, and Sakura thought to herself how dark they looked in his gaunt face. Determination flashed through her jade eyes as Sakura unconsciously put her hand on her hips. "Orochimaru and his little minions have been destroyed for awhile. Clearly you just avenged your clan. You're a rogue ninja, a wild card that could do anything. You're coming back to the hidden Leaf Village with me, got it?" Sakura said bluntly, hoping the adrenaline and anxiety pumping through her wasn't visible. Too much rode on his cooperation, and Sasuke wasn't exactly known as easy to get along with. After all, he'd tried to kill her twice in the past nine years.

"We'll both go then." Sasuke said brusquely, ignoring the statement. He had no intention of revealing what he had planned, especially this close to the beginning. The dark-haired rogue didn't care what Sakura thought - he wasn't trying to escape or anything as obvious as that. Sasuke knew a long and difficult path lay in front of him.

* * *

Sparkling clear water glinted in the afternoon sun as Sakura dipped her grimy hands in the running creek. To her surprise and astonishment, Sasuke hadn't been lying in the least. They had made their way to the tower silently, awkward tension between them. Nine years ago they had been teammates, and had learned how to read every sign given, no matter how subtle. His betrayal had changed that, broken the bond of teammates and her trust for him. It was obvious that Sakura was constantly on the lookout for a killing blow from Sasuke, though he acted compliant enough. They had gotten the job done, pausing to blow up the clearing around the tower and then stopped to watch it burn. Afterwards, they had made their journey to the creek.

Now the ashy kunoichi was washing up all while keeping an eye on Sasuke. He was filling a flask that Sakura had given him, pausing to greedily drink the water each time it was filled. Once the thirsty shinobi had been sated, he filled the flask one last time. Sasuke stowed it in a small bag, looping the ties around his arms. He sat on the edge of the creek, waiting for Sakura to finish.

Sakura ran her soaking hands through dirty strands of hair. It wasn't anywhere as clean as she wanted to be, but it would have to do for now. The jade-eyed kunoichi filled her water flask and put it away. She dipped her cupped hands into the water for one last drink before they began the journey back. Sakura stepped out of the creek, her porcelain skin pebbling from the breeze. 'If I'm getting cold from this, then how is Sasuke faring? His body had no fat to keep it warm, and that shirt is just a rag.'

"You should let me mend your shirt." Sakura said nonchalantly, pulling a thick blanket from her bag. It always worked to over-prepare for missions. "Wear this while we travel. It won't hinder any movement."

"Tch." Sasuke seemed irritated by her request. "Just because I let you heal me doesn't mean I'll let you fuss over me."

Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I am not fussing over you. If you would get your head out of your ass you would realize that you are my patient. That comes before any feelings I harbor towards you."

"You still have that idiotic crush on me? Is that why you haven't placed me under arrest or called in for backup?" Sasuke sneered disparagingly. "I could destroy you with a mere breath."

"No, you're a bigger idiot than Naruto ever was." Sakura told him in a calm voice. "If you knew anything, you would know that I don't arrest my patients. I also don't need any backup - it's been awhile Sasuke, and you clearly have no idea of what I am capable of. If you want to put it to the test," Sakura paused, looking coolly at him, "Then I'd be more than happy to oblige you. You're pathetic, and I have no desire to be anywhere near you. Unfortunately, this is how things worked out. As far as I am concerned, I am staying by you until you're fully healed and you've been delivered to Konoha. Now, get your butt up and let's start going so we can be free of each other sooner rather than later." Sakura finished, handing him the blanket.

Sasuke took it wordlessly, not showing how her words had made his temper blaze. He ripped the tattered shirt off of his body and gave it to the pink-haired kunoichi. Tension boiled between them. Sakura sighed and put it away, before saying quietly. "It will be easier if you don't try to fight me the whole time." She looked for some sort of acknowledgement, but Sasuke didn't even incline his head in agreement. She sighed again. This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Author's Notes: I'm sorry it took so long to update. All I can say is that life got in the way! October is going to be so busy for me, but I am going to try to get another chapter up as soon as possible. Thank you to all the readers, reviewers, those who favorite and add my story onto their alerts.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of its characters.

A loud thud broke the silence the two shinobi had been traveling in for three days. Sakura's pack hit the ground as she began doing her customary scan of the area. Sasuke did nothing to aide her, merely sitting at the base of a large tree. She was used to this by now. Ever since the confrontation at the river, he had been a silent shadow of a companion. The only noises he made were grunts when the medic-nin threw the food pills at him.

Sasuke's health seemed to be improving at a rapid rate. The doubled food pill ratio had started to fill out his skeletal body - Sakura's sharp eyes could see the healthy weight slowly coming back on. She doubted anyone but a medic-nin would be able to notice it. Though his weight was improving, his attitude didn't seem to be. Sure, the dark-haired rogue hadn't tried to off her yet, or run away - but he hadn't offered any assistance ever since the tower. Sakura repressed a sigh of exasperation. Honestly, it was like traveling with a pouty girl. 'Men are such babies.' She thought to herself as she pulled out the halfway finished shirt. Sakura had been working diligently on it at night, for the mind-numbing work helped her to sleep.

"Why bother?" Sasuke's low voice broke her concentration. Sakura looked up from where she was sitting, raising a slim eyebrow in question. He gestured to the shirt she was holding in her hands. "By the time you finish, we'll be back into the Hidden Leaf Village. Why bother mending it at all?"

Sakura paused before answering, anger flashing behind her eyes. "I'm mending it because these clothes on your back are all you have. I'm mending this shirt because I pity you. When we get back to Konoha, you will have nobody. You will have nothing." She finished venomously, beginning to mend the shirt again.

Sasuke never took his dark eyes off of her. Her contempt for him was something the avenger was completely taken aback by. The rogue shinobi had never given much thought as to how different Sakura would be when he returned. Sasuke didn't quite know how to react to her disdain, and so he reacted the same as he did with everyone else - with cutting comments. Sasuke had spent the last few days mulling about his predicament. If this is what it was like with Sakura, what awaited him in Konoha?

Not that it would matter to him. The first chapter of Sasuke's life was over as far as he was concerned, and now it was time to begin the second part. 'Nothing ever comes easy.' His thoughts were interrupted by rustling.

"Take your pills." Sakura told him in a soft voice. She regretted speaking so bluntly, but everything she had said was the truth. Perhaps her raw honesty hadn't been the best decision though. The pink-haired kunoichi tossed him the two pills, taking her own out when he caught his. Sakura then began making a small campfire, to ward off the darkness and chilly air.

"Thanks." Sasuke said gruffly, crunching the two pills between his teeth. The pills that Sakura had were different than the customary food pills shinobi were sent on missions with. Normally food pills were meant to enhance chakra, or fighting prowess. These pills had an entirely different function. Sasuke imagined that they were primarily used for higher-ranked missions, in order to lighten the load a shinobi carried. Sakura had been right when she told him they did nothing to increase chakra. They did do something that no other food pill did. These ones completely satiated his appetite, as well as make his body feel completely rested and pumped full of nutrients. He wondered what sort of work went into them, for such a feat had never been achieved before.

"They make you miss real food." Sakura said absently, her jade eyes fixed on the shirt in front of her. Surprised that she was talking to him, Sasuke focused on the kunoichi. "I haven't had food, real food in awhile." Sasuke replied, making his makeshift bed with a few thick blankets.

Sakura looked up at him, continuing to stoke the fire without focusing on the flames. "That would explain a lot." She said slowly. "Then what have you been subsisting on?"

Sasuke felt uneasiness ripple through him. This was what he had been dreading. The dark-haired rogue had been so out of touch with other people all these years that simply carrying on a conversation, revealing information about himself made him decisively uncomfortable. "Food pills. A type that I created."

"Wait, what?" Sakura asked, dropping the stick she had been using. Her startled wide eyes were trained on the sitting man. "Do you have any idea what kind of -"

Sakura's words were cut off abruptly by a flying shuriken. It headed straight for the ANBU operative, but with the slightest movement of her head, Sakura dodged it. The shuriken hit the trunk behind her with a dull thunk, burying itself deeply in the wood. In a flash, Sakura was on her feet with a sharp kunai held in her hand. Her sharp eyes narrowed, seeking out the perpetrator. "Show yourself!" She growled, glaring into the darkness.

"Hehe, such a spitfire." A voice simpered from above them. "Relying on your little girlfriend to protect you?" A heavyset man stepped into lighter shadows, smirking at the pair from above. The campfire flickering below made light dance on his face, making the man look even odder than what he would have. Dark purple whorls of paint decorated his pockmarked skin. A bulbous nose bulged underneath two thick eyebrows, and eerie violet eyes leered at them. He grinned, showing yellow teeth. "Tsk tsk. You could at least let me see your face before I kill you."

Sasuke's dark eyes darted to Sakura, noting that somehow she had managed to put her mask on to conceal her identity from the enemy while dodging a weapon. Somehow during all this time he had failed to notice that she was wearing the full uniform of the ANBU.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Sakura demanded. She was poised and ready to dispatch the threat, but her medic training held her back. Jumping headlong into a battle with an unknown entity with unknown skills would be foolish at best.

The man's grin slowly faded into a frown. "All business, are you?" His voice was high-pitched and girlish, completely at odds with his appearance. "You're no fun. Fine fine, if you insist." With a more serious air, he pulled out a vial filled to the brim with all different types of pills. He rattled them, a menacing gleam in his eyes. "I am the notorious Ikura Uni. Food pills are my specialty. I have been after the ones that he," Ikura pointed to Sasuke's sitting form, "developed! The way they increase power, stamina, chakra.. My mouth waters just thinking about it!"

Sakura's eyebrow twitched behind her mask. Was this guy really serious? His name fit him, if that was the case.

"Sorry, they're specially designed for my body." Sasuke quipped, acting as though the man was an annoying fly. "They'd be useless for you." He remained sitting, not even looking at the threat. Sakura wanted to pummel him for acting so nonchalant.

"EH? Well if you were able to create such a feat then surely you can duplicate it!" Ikura put his beefy hands on his hips. "I'll just take out this little wench and then recruit you, little man. I'm sure you can be.. Persuaded to make a batch for me." Ikura grinned, swallowing three different pills and stowing his vial away. "Come now girl, let's have us a good time."

The masked kunoichi felt her temper roar into a maelstrom inside of her. This shinobi had absolutely no idea who he was up against. It made her even more infuriated that Sasuke just sat there, not even looking in their direction, as if he didn't care about the outcome. Typical. Out of habit, Sakura flexed her gloved fingers while assessing her opponent. Clearly this Ikura did not consider her a worthy match, but she still had no idea what sort of skills he had. It was too bad she was trying to remain covert, because nothing would please Sakura more than knocking him out of that tree.

"Too shy to make the first move? Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." Suddenly, his eyes began to glow a fiercer violet, completely taking over the pupil in each eye. His voice changed in pitch, going from a high-pitched girlish voice to a deeper baritone. Ikura raised each of his hands. His palms were emitting a lilac chakra that was becoming stronger by the second. With a powerful blast he obliterated the space that Sakura had been standing in just before.

Sakura moved with lightning quick speed away from his blasts. There was nothing suble about his attacks, just forceful blasts of chakra. She wondered about the strange coloring of it, deciding to do everything in her power not to be touched by it.

Sasuke remained where he was sitting, watching the scene with his sharingan. The burly man was all brute force; there was no grace or thought to his movements. He focused his sharingan on Sakura. She dodged everything skillfully, seemingly at ease. It was almost as if she were dancing instead of battling.

Pulling out two kunai, Sakura quickly wrapped a paper bomb around the handle of each one. She threw them each in a different direction. One thudded into the thick wood behind Ikura, and the other embedded itself into the ground below the tree. Ikura ceased his chakra blasts, beginning to double over in laughter. "This is why girls belong at home, making babies and food. You missed me little bitch!"

Behind her mask, Sakura smirked. She had no idea how this man had ever become a shinobi, but this would be intensely satisfying. Making a Snake hand seal, she detonated the paper bomb at the base of the tree. With a huge explosion, the tree's base was destroyed. The large tree began to collapse, the enemy going down with it. She made the seal once more, setting off the one behind his head. A cloud of smoke enveloped the area, as Sakura waited to see the destruction.

Wood pieces showered the area; Sasuke's sharingan had detected the substitution jutsu, and before he could warn Sakura, smoke from the paper bomb shrouded the area.

"Not bad, not bad. You're smarter than you look. Take off that silly mask already and face me down!" Ikura roared. He was on the other side of the clearing, once more standing atop a thick branch. The chakra coming from his palms was still strong, but this time there weren't large blasts. They were concentrated into thin, elongated blasts. Sakura's eyes widened. He was making them into senbon showers, which most likely meant they were poisonous.

She dodged the showers with a back flip, shouting a warning to Sasuke. "Don't let any of his blasts touch you, they're poisonous!" Another barrage of chakra senbon needles came flying her way. Sakura jumped backwards, dodging the attack.

"Such an agile body, it's really too bad that I have to destroy you." Ikura remarked idly, baring yellowed teeth in a grin. "You're done now wench. You've fallen straight into my trap."

Sasuke slowly turned his gaze from thick ninja to Sakura. Her small body was completely rigid, as if warding off some sort of attack. His sharingan could detect a rivulet of sweat sliding down the side of her face, just outside the cover of her mask. The dark haired shinobi was briefly puzzled before he realized where she was. While dodging the poison attacks, Sakura had been driven to stand in the center of where Ikura had first blasted. Ikura had played the fool all along to trap her.

With gritted teeth, Sakura struggled to move her body. The poison had managed to enter her bloodstream already, most likely when she had jumped backwards. A small part of her skin must have brushed the ground. She had never seen it before, but this Ikura Uni's chakra was something akin to a poison dust. Sakura's hands shook as she forced her limbs to move. She had to move quickly before the paralyzing agent reached her lungs, heart, or brain. Sakura's chakra surged within her body, combating the poison and healing herself. Her gloved hands slowly reached the small pouch on her hip. With shaking hands, she withdrew a vial.

"I wonder where the poison will reach first," Ikura said loudly to himself. He turned his violet eyes to Sasuke's still form. "Such a bad boyfriend. So willing to let your girl die, without even attempting to lift a finger to help. Ah, only makes my task easier, though it's a shame. You have the right idea though, being alone is better than all this teamwork nonsense."

Sasuke stood slowly, turning to face in the enemy's direction. He focused his sharingan on the man, narrowing his eyes. "You talk a lot.. You're annoying, and wrong."

"Sharingan eh? I take it that you're the lone survivor of the Uchiha. Interesting." Ikura said, "Too bad that I need you, it's so much fun watching my victims succumb to poison." With that said, Ikura turned to look at where Sakura was. "WHAT?!"

"Looking for me?" Sakura asked innocently. She stood at the base of the tree, having snuck over while Sasuke distracted the shinobi. "Your poison would have disabled a less experienced shinobi, but unfortunately for you I'm one of the top medical ninjas." Sakura balled her gloved hand into a fist, punching through the tree he was in. The tree came crashing down, Ikura tangled in its thick branches. Jumping into the air, Sakura came down with a powerful kick that smashed his head in like an overripe melon.

"Messy." Sasuke commented, walking in her direction. When he reached the corpse of Ikura, he looked at Sakura's masked face. She chuckled behind the mask, "You're one to talk."

Sasuke deactivated his sharingan. The scent of blood in the air was strong, and before deactivating his sharingan he had observed a small spot of blood darkening the front of Sakura's black pants. "How did you get out of the poison trap?"

"I had to draw out the poison." Sakura stated quietly, kneeling beside the body. Her gloved hands searched the dead man's form, until she came away with the vial hidden in his cloak. "I made a small incision on my thigh to get it out - it's messy, but it did the trick. My skin must have brushed the ground at some point. The poison affected my legs first, then my arms. It was strange to go for limbs first, instead of going right for the internal organs."

"He did say he liked to watch his enemies suffer." Sasuke said. "What do we do with the body?"

Sakura was so wrapped up in assessing the corpse that she almost missed what he said. She had been surprised earlier when Sasuke had diverted Ikura's attention away from her movements. If it hadn't been for that, chances are that Ikura would have caught what was going on much earlier. The pink-haired kunoichi was uncertain what Sasuke's motives were. She didn't know how to react to him actually aiding her, or taking interest in a sudden partnership.

"We're too far away to summon for the Medical Corps. I want to bring his body back, but being three days away is just too far. I'm going to draw some of his blood, as well as extract some tissue from his palms. Hopefully that will be enough to get an idea of what was going on. We'll burn the body afterwards."

Sasuke watched as Sakura pulled out the necessary medical tools. She was in her element here, leaving him useless. It was not an easy feeling. Her slim hands withdrew blood from the body, storing five full tubes within the confines of her pack. Next, Sakura carefully disinfected the palms of the body. She stripped the skin off of the palms, paying close attention to the very center of them. Once everything was safely stored, the masked kunoichi rose.

"Could you take care of him for me, please?" She requested, heading to one of the blasted chakra sites. Sasuke watched the ANBU operative carefully inspect each of the chakra sites before turning to the corpse of Ikaru. Making a Tiger hand seal, the dark-haired shinobi used his Fireball jutsu to engulf the body in flames. The smell of burning flesh filled the air around him, sending a huge smoke column into the air. 'It's more than probable that the Leaf Village will send out scouts to see what this is.' Sasuke thought to himself as he walked away from the burning corpse. 'I'll likely be hauled into custody.'

Meanwhile, Sakura was scraping the affected areas of earth into bottles with a piece of metal. She took a sample of each one, coming away with seven containers. She paid no attention to the watching Sasuke as she was intent on her task. Sakura had plenty of experience with poisons and their antidotes. All poisons could be cured, and the medic-nin wanted to purify these blast sites lest an unwary traveler happen upon them.

"Try water." Sasuke's deep voice interrupted her train of thought. She was sitting between two of the blast sites on a narrow strip of unaffected land. Sasuke stood a few yards away, watching her with unreadable eyes. He pulled out his water bag, opening the top and pouring a stream of water onto the poisoned ground. A white steam rose up from the area.

"Water?" She asked increduously, getting up. "That's so simple though!"

"Exactly." Sasuke said, sprinkling water on another spot. "Orochimaru exposed me to a variety of poisons; some require complex antidotes. Others, such as poison gas or dust are easily dispelled with natural resources. It depends on what strain they are developed from."

Sakura began sprinkling water over the nearest poisoned site. It made sense in a way, as Ikaru must have waited until they were far from any water source. She wished she had the equipment that was necessary to analyze the ingredients of the poison, that way she could find out exactly why water purified it. The two shinobi went about ridding the poison from the land, until the last of the water they had was completely gone. All the sites were normal earth and stone now, and the flames had burned the corpse into a pile of ashes. The sun was rising; the fight and tending to the land had taken all night.

"We'll have to replenish our water." Sakura told Sasuke. They had started away from the battle ground, traveling through the thick forest instead of following the well-worn trail.

The dark-haired avenger was wearing his half-mended shirt. Sakura had used the blankets to cushion the many vials and containers within her pack. He had no idea how she could fit it all within such a small space. "Won't scouts be coming out?" His voice interrupted the silence of their traveling.

"No." Sakura replied curtly. "The Hokage wouldn't investigate a fire. It would mean sending shinobi out constantly. Besides, there are always shinobi in the field. Even if there is never an investigation conducted, someone always manages to report in." She bowed her head in thought. They walked alongside each other for a time in silence before Sakura asked, "Did you mean what you said back there?" Sasuke glanced at the kunoichi. Her jade eyes met his, and Sakura repeated the question. "Ikura being wrong about teamwork and better off being alone?"

Onyx eyes slanted off to the side. It was so much easier being alone, without people constantly asking and analyzing about everything. Sasuke knew that human interaction wasn't his strong point - hadn't been ever since the night that changed everything. He had always viewed everything as an obstacle to get past, a boost for his training. His life had been cold and clinical, removed from such human emotions. 'The irony..' Sasuke thought to himself. The avenger knew that the rest of his life would require exactly what he had spent so long avoiding. Distancing himself wasn't an option anymore.

"Yeah, sure. Don't make such a fuss about it." Sasuke answered gruffly, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Why do you still have the mask on?"

Sakura looked at him in astonishment. "You should know that. When on a mission, ANBU operatives are supposed to keep masked the entire time. I shouldn't have ever taken it off in the first place." Sakura finished quietly. She didn't tell him that she had taken it off so that he wouldn't run away like a spooked deer. When she had first stumbled upon him in that room, Sasuke had reminded her of a mentally unstable lunatic, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. It seemed proper nutrition and rest had cured him of that though. It was a little frightening at how cooperative he was being, but Sakura still wasn't putting her guard down. Sasuke had a lot to make up for, and it would take more than distracting an opponent for her in battle to earn her trust back.

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Author's Note: Another chapter up! I just got into Naruto Shippuden (the anime) and it is amazing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm trying to get them out as quickly as possible. Please tell me what you think, I love hearing back from my readers. I'll try to have the next chapter posted within another week, thank you for sticking by!


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